St Johnstone2 - 0Inverness CT

St Johnstone claimed victory against Inverness in what could be manager Derek McInnes's last match in charge.

McInnes, who is to be interviewed for the vacant Bristol City job, watched on as Francisco Sandaza fired the hosts in front on 12 minutes.

Dave MacKay doubled the advantage 20 minutes into the second half, the defender finishing with his left foot.

Inverness could not find a way back into the match and they remain bottom of the Scottish Premier League.

The opener came in the 13th minute after Sandaza collected the ball just inside the Inverness half and fed Cillian Sheridan on the left wing.

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Sheridan returned the ball to his strike partner on the edge of the area with a lofted pass and the Spaniard chested it down, shrugged off a defender and shot high into the net with his left foot.

Sandaza engineered another chance when his skill took him away from two men following Liam Craig's low cross, but goalkeeper Ryan Esson was quickly off his line to block the striker's close-range effort.

The forward pairing was split up in the 20th minute when Marcus Haber replaced the injured Sheridan.

Caley Thistle midfielder Greg Tansey fired in two decent long-range strikes, but neither forced goalkeeper Peter Enckelman into action and Andrew Shinnie curled an effort just over from a difficult angle.

Enckelman made his first save to guide David Proctor's header over following a corner, but St Johnstone survived the spell of pressure and should have gone further ahead in stoppage-time after a sweeping move from deep inside their own half.

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Mackay and Chris Millar linked up brilliantly on the right to set up Haber 12 yards out, but the striker scuffed his shot against the post and Thomas Piermayr blocked as Craig followed up.

The Perth side came out eager to add to their tally and Esson got down well to save Mackay's drive after Chris Millar had fed his forward run.

Inverness should have been further behind when Kevin Moon ran unmarked on to Craig's cross, but the midfielder sliced his first-time effort over.

The second came when Sandaza put Esson under pressure from Morris's right-wing cross and the ball fell for Mackay, who sent a first-time left-footed effort into the bottom corner from 14 yards.

Foran almost pulled one back with a brilliant 20-yard strike, but Enckelman pushed it on to the bar and over and Saints held on to their lead comfortably to move one point behind Celtic in the Scottish Premier League.

Live text and stats

Saturday, 15 October 2011

Scottish Premier

Home Team

Score

Away Team

Time

St Johnstone

2-0

Inverness CT

FT

(HT 1-0)

Sandaza 12

MacKay 65

St Johnstone

01 Enckelman

02 MacKay

03 Davidson

05 Wright

06 Anderson

04 Morris

07 Millar yellow card

10 Craig yellow card

14 Moon (Davidson 64)

11 Sheridan (Haber 20)

21 Sandaza (Gibson 81)

Substitutes

15 Mannus,

25 Durnan,

26 Caddis,

08 Davidson,

22 Gibson,

27 May,

23 Haber

Inverness CT

01 Esson

03 Tokely

14 Proctor yellow card

19 Shinnie

02 Piermayr

08 Tansey

10 Shinnie (McKay 74)

11 Ross (Chippendale 58)

25 Davis

09 Foran

15 Tade (Sutherland 56)

Substitutes

12 Tuffey,

22 Gillet,

26 Meekings,

06 Cox,

20 Chippendale,

18 Sutherland,

21 McKay

Ref: Craig ThomsonAtt: 2,909

ST JOHNSTONE

INVERNESS CT

Possession

St Johnstone53%

Inverness CT47%

Attempts on target

St Johnstone5

Inverness CT1

Attempts off target

St Johnstone6

Inverness CT3

Corners

St Johnstone5

Inverness CT6

Fouls

St Johnstone11

Inverness CT11

Final Result

Full Time

90:00+3:26 The final whistle is blown by the referee.

90:00+3:00 Centre by David Davis.

89:42 The ball is swung over by Murray Davidson, blocked by Ross Tokely. Jody Morris produces a right-footed shot from outside the
penalty box and misses wide left of the target.

86:03 Marcus Haber takes a shot. Save made by Ryan Esson.

84:19 Outswinging corner taken left-footed by Graeme Shinnie from the left by-line, Richie Foran concedes a free kick for a foul
on Frazer Wright. Peter Enckelman takes the free kick. Peter Enckelman makes a save.

83:25 Free kick awarded for a foul by Marcus Haber on Aidan Chippendale. Indirect free kick taken by Ryan Esson.

82:22 Murray Davidson produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide left of the goal.

76:13 Free kick awarded for a foul by Ross Tokely on Murray Davidson. Jody Morris takes the free kick, David MacKay takes a shot.
David Davis gets a block in. Corner taken by Liam Craig from the left by-line, clearance by Ross Tokely.

75:41 The referee blows for offside. David MacKay takes the free kick.

74:50 A cross is delivered by Thomas Piermayr, Peter Enckelman makes a save.

72:55 Substitution William McKay joins the action as a substitute, replacing Andrew Shinnie.

72:55 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on David MacKay by Richie Foran. Peter Enckelman takes the free kick.

35:44 Andrew Shinnie has an effort at goal from the edge of the area that misses to the right of the target.

31:34 David Davis takes the indirect free kick. Greg Tansey has an effort at goal from outside the box which misses left. Corner
taken left-footed by Graeme Shinnie from the left by-line, Kevin Moon makes a clearance.

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